Machine for imprinting and punching the number of shares on a stock certificate



Jun 25, 1963 J. J. LOBAS ETAL I MACHINE FOR IMPRINTING AND PUNCHING THE NUMBER OF SHARES ON A STOCK CERTIFICATE Filed Oct. 6, 1959 6 Sheets-Sheet l Q5 Qmv QmY 0g" JNNTORS 2% J n 2 1963 J. J. LOBAS ETAL- 3,094,923

MACHINE FOR IMPRINTING AND PUNCHING THE NUMBER OF SHARES ON A STOCK CERTIFICATE Filed Oct. 6, 1959 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 fie. 2.

6 Sheets-Sheet 3 e 1963 J. J. LOBAS ETAL MACHINE FOR IMPRINTING AND PUNCHING THE NUMBER OF SHARES ON A STOCK CERTIFICATE Filed Oct. 6, 1959 June 25, 1963 J. LOBAS ETAL 3,094,923

J. MACHINE FOR IMPRINTING AND PUNCHING THE NUMBER OF SHARES ON A STOCK CERTIFICATE Filed Oct. 6, 1959 e Sheets-Sheet 4 m w I? ilk J n 1963 J. J. LOBAS ETAL MACHINE FOR IMPRINTING AND PUNCHING THE NUMBER OF SHARES ON A swoox CERTIFICATE Filed Oct. 6, 1959 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVE T RS M flffi Mw June 25, 1963 J. .1. LOBAS ETAL 3,094,923

MACHINE FOR IMPRINTING AND PUNCHING THE NUMBER OF SHARES ON A STOCK CERTIFICATE Y Filed Oct. 6, 1959 s Sheets-Sheet e INVENTORS JQH/V J 10545 ALBERT/W AOWAAA/ vjmn/ A 77' OE/VE Y United States Patent 3,0?4323 MACHINE FOR IMPRINTING AND PUNCHING THE NUMBER OF SHARES ON A STOCK CER- TIFICATE John J. Lobas, 328 S. Curtis, Alhambra, Calif., and Albert M. Rowlan, 209 N. Ave. 49, Los Angeles 42, Calif. Filed Oct. 6, 1959, Ser. No. 844,718 7 Claims. (Cl. fill-93) This invention relates to a machine to imprint on a stock certificate, or similar document, the number of shares said certificate represents, and to punch holes in said certificate accordingly.

The vast majority of stock certificates show the number of shares the same represent by an imprint on the face thereof, at about the middle of the word or words of such number, an imprint of the corresponding Arabic number in a lithographed colored panel on said face, usually near the upper right corner of the certificate, and holes punched through digits in two side-by-side digit columns, representing tens and units, the digits thus punched out corresponding to the two imprintings mentioned. The two imprints and the punched holes both provide visual means to determine, at a glance, the number of shares, and insurance against surreptitious changing of the number of shares.

The usual way of providing stock certificates with such imprints and safety punchings entails either the use of rubber stamps or a typewriter for the imprints and a hand punch for the punchings. Such a procedure is not only time-consuming but :is also subject to frequent error because there is no inter-cooperation among the three steps that are necessary to identify or prepare a certificate. Accordingly, there may be lack of correspondence among the two imprints and the punchings. Careful proofreading is, therefore, necessary; the same requiring inspection of all three areas of identification.

An object of the present invention is to provide a machine that, upon a single setting thereof, simultaneously imprints at. the two places or areas above mentioned and punches the corresponding holes, thereby insuring accuracy of certificate identification. Then, if proofreading is resorted to, the same need only be carried out with respect to one area of such identification, since all of the areas are coordinated and correspond one with the other.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of the character above referred to that has its imprinting and punching components not only adjustable relatively so that the same may be initially set according to the arrangement of the particular certificates being identified by imprints and holes, but the hole-punching means is' capable of independent adjustment according to variations in the spacing or spread among the tens and units columns of digits on the face of the certificate.

A further object of the invention is to provide a certificate imprinting and punchingmachine in which the two'imprinting means'tan'd the punch means, after individual adjustment thereof, are simultaneously set by a single indexing operation, thereby insuring conformity among said means, the machine providing for movement of index means in either direction to save indexing time.

A still further-object of the invention is to provide an imprinting and punching machine that is arranged to minimize malfunction by the operator in that the control for setting. the imprinting and punching components and the handle for effecting imprinting and punching are on the same side ofthe machine and in such relative position that the operator cannot conveniently manipulate both controls-setting of the machine andimprinting and punch-- ing.simultaneously, but can, with easy facility, control first one and then the'other, with the'same hand.

3,094,923 Patented June 25, 1963 ice A yet further object of the invention is to provide a machine as above indicated that carries out its imprinting and punching operations, in a positive manner, and just as positively returns the parts to initial position.

The invention also has for an object to provide a certificate identifying machine, as to the number of shares represented by the same, that is small, compact, and easily portable from place to place.

Our invention also has for its objects to provide such means that are positive in operation, convenient in use, easily installed in a working position and easily disconnected therefrom, economical of manufacture, relatively simple, and of general superiority and serviceability.

The invention also comprises novel details of construction and novel combinations and arrangements of parts, which will more fully appear the course of the following description and which is based on the accompanying drawings. However, said drawings merely show, and the following description merely describes one embodiment of the present invention, which is given by way of illustration or example only.

In the drawings, like reference characters designate similar parts in the several views.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a certificate imprinting and punching machine according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the machine on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1 in the unoperated posit-ion of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view as taken on the line 3--3 of FIG. 1.

FIGS. 4- and 5 are enlarged vertical sectional views as taken on the respective lines 44 and 5-5 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the lower portion of the machine, as shown in FIG. 2, with the machine in partly operated position.

FIGS. 7 and 8 are enlarged vertical sectional views as taken on the respective lines 7-7 and 88 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 9 is a partial side elevational view of the mechanism shown in the right portion of FIGS. 2 and 6, with the machine at the end of its imprinting and hole-punching operation.

FIG. 10 is a view, taken substantially on the line 3-3 of FIG. 1, showing the position of one of the imprinting means when the machine is in the operated position of FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is a view of the face of a certificate showing the same provided with the imprints and punched holes as produced by the present machine.

FIG. 12 is a plan view omitting certain components of the machine to clarify the construction especially relating to individual adjustment of the imprinting means thereof.

The imprinting and punching machine that is. illustrated comprises, generally, a support frame 21; means 22 to support a certificate C and locate the same in said frame; drum means 23 to impress an imprint 24 on said certificate in an approximately middle or central position on the face thereof; drum means 25 to impress an imprint 26 on said certificate in an ofiset position relative to the imprint 24; means 27 to adjust each of the drum means 23 and 25 independently according to the desired positions on the certificate face of the imprints 24 and 26; punching means 28 for punching holes 29 in said certificate; means. 31 to adjust the position of the punch means so that the punches thereof are in register with the digits of two columns of digits lithographed on the face of the certificate; an indexing wheel 109 under manual control of the operator; means 32 driven by the indexing wheel for simultaneously setting the drum means 23 and 25 according to the desired and coordinated imprint of said latter means; openating handle means 33; means 34 controlled by the handle means 33 to operate the punch means 28; means 36 controlled by the drive means 32 and set by the latter means according to the setting of the drum means to limit the operating travel of the handle-controlled means 34 accordingly; means 37 to press the certificate against the .drum means 23 and 25; and marking means 38 to produce an imprint from each of the drum means 23 and 25 on the face of the certificate as the same is pressed against the latter means.

The support frame 21 is shown as having a base plate 44 from which upwardly extend brackets 45 and 46 as well as vertically disposed posts 47 and 48 and an armmounting bracket 49. A transverse member 51 is carried by the brackets 45 and 46, and a longitudinal member 57 is carried by said member 51 and the posts 47 and 48 in upwardly spaced relation to the base plate 44. As shown, the posts 47 and 48 as well as the bracket 49 may be carried by a sub-plate 58 so that the same may comprise independent unitary means that mount the punch means 28. Transversely spaced longitudinal brackets 59 extend upwardly from support plate 44 forwardly of the transverse member 51. As best seen in FIGS. 3 and 10, said latter brackets are provided with forwardly directed notches 70'. The brackets 59 are connected by transverse members 59a to form a frame that is slidable on the base plate 44 (see FIG. 12).

The means 22 is shown as comprising a horizontal support plate 230 that projects partly into said notches 70" and is supported by the brackets 59, said plate extending in spaced relation above the forward portion of the base plate 44. The same serves as a support for a stock certificate manually placed thereon. The means 22 further comprises a guide fbraket 170 that is longitudinally adjustable on the support plate230 and carries a transversely directed gauge member 71 that serves as a limiting stop for the upper edge 72 (FIG. 11) of a stock certificate C that is disposed on said plate 230. A gauge 73 (FIGS. 4 and 7) is provided for the right edge 74 of the certificate. Therefore, a plurality of similar certificates have the same position in the machine as they are successively placed on the plate 230. In this case, the gauge '73 is carried on the edge of a stripper plate 75 that is part of the holepunching means 28.

The drum means 23 comprises a cylindrical, wide-faced drum 280 that is rotationally carried by a shaft 195 mounted across the brackets 59. The outer face of said drum, according to the present invention, is provided With preferably raised metal type arranged to spell out the words corresponding to the numbers one to ninety-nine with an extra space between the word one and the word ninety-nine. The same are indicated at 76- in FIG. 1. It is these number words that form the imprint 24 on the certificate C. As can be seen in FIG. 3, there is a splined con nection 77 between said drum 200 and the shaft 195 so that the former may be shifted along the shaft to vary the spacing of the imprint 24 relative to the certificate edge 74, as desired. A set screw 201 locks the adjustment.

The drum means 25, similarly to the means 23, comprises a cylindrical drum 110 that has a narrower face than drum 200 and is rotationally carried by a shaft 78 mounted across the brackets 79 that are somewhat similar to the brackets 59. Said brackets 79 are connected by transverse members 79a to form a frame that, similarly to frame 59, 59a, is slidable on the base plate 44 (see FIG. 12). This drum 110 has the numbers one to ninetynine provided in digit form in raised type, as before. The same, according to the rotationally adjusted position will form the imprint 26 on the certificate. Such digit type is shown at 81 of FIG. I. Said drum 110 is adjustable along shaft 7 8 and may be locked in adjusted position so that the imprint 26 may have a desired position relative to the certificate edge 74.

In the present case, the shafts 195 and 78 are offset, as can best be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, to suit the offset relationship of the imprints 24 and 26, relative to the certificate edge 72. In addition to the described adjustment of the drums 209 and 114) on their respective shafts 195 and 78, the means 27 are provided to vary the offset of the imprints 24 and 26, relatively. As best shown in FIG. 12, an adjusting screw 204 has threaded engagement in a bracket 82 afiixed to the base plate 44 and is rotationally connected to a bracket 84 on one of the transverse members 5%. Thus, rotation of screw 204 in one direction or the other will longitudinally adjust frame 59, 59a accordingly. In a similar manner, an adjusting screw 205, threadedly engaged with a bracket 83 on the base plate 44 and rotationally connected to a bracket 84 on one of the transverse members 79a, may be employed to longitudinally adjust the frame 79, 79a. By this means, the frame 59, 59a, the drum 200 mounted thereon, the shaft 150, and the gearing 190 that connects said shaft with the drum shaft 195, are adjustable, as a unit, by the screw 284. The shaft 150, although driven by the shaft through gear box 140, slides longitudinally in said gear box, since said shaft is rotational in a bearing on frame 59, 59a. Gearing is in nowise disturbed during adjustment of the drum means 23 by the screw 204. In the same manner, the gear box 50 constitutes a guide for driven shaft 70 during longitudinal bodily adjustment, by the screw 205, of the frame 79, 79a, the drum 110 thereon by means of its shaft 78, said shaft 70, and the gearing 98 that connects the shafts 70 and 78.

The punch means 28 is shown as two horizontal elongated slide bars 85 and 86, each having a vertical hole 87. The bars are provided with elongated slots 88 into which a certificate C is adapted to be inserted (as may be seen in FIGS. 4 and 7) so that the certificate edge 74 may engage gauge 73. Headed punch pins 111 and 112 extend into the holes 87 of the respective bars 85 and 86, the same being carried by their heads by a member 89 which has a normal elevated position (FIG. 4) that holds the pins 111 and 112 vertically retracted clear of the slots 88. Said bars are supported on rollers 91 carried by the posts 47 and 48 and the bracket 49. The bifurcations that are formed by slots 88 are closed by end pieces 92. The punch pins enter holes 93 in the bars 85 and 86 when the same shear punchings from holes 29 in the certificate. In practice, the holes 87 are located in the bars 85 and 86 to be between the posts 47 and 48 but nearer to post 48 and to be moved in a direction to- Ward post 47 when the bars are independently shifted toward the left during a punching operation. In this machine, the setting of means 36 controls the increment of such movement so that the punches may produce punched holes 29 that conform to the imprints 24 and 26. However, the spacing of the digits of each column of units and tens, in which such punchings are effected, may vary considerably so that a variation of travel of the punch bars as much as an inch is necessary to assure that a punch will exactly punch out the desired digit. The means 31 is provided for this purpose.

The punch bar 85 is connected by a link 30 to an arm 1:13 that is fixedly carried by a shaft 68 rotational in bearings 94. In a similar manner, the punch bar 86 is connected by a link 40 to an arm 69. It will be clear that rocking of said arms 113 and 69 from the position of FIG. 2 in a leftward direction, will move the punch slide bars. The mentioned variability in spacing of the units and tens digits that are to be punched is adjusted by the means 31 provided in each arm 113 and 69.

Each am 113 and 69 carries a slide bracket 95, the same being connected by pivots 96 to the respective links 30 and 40, and the respective adjusting screws 10 and 20 have threaded engagement with the brackets 95 so the same may be moved relative to the pivot shaft 68. This means 31 changes the effective length of the arms 11-3 and 69 so that, for the same rotational movement of shaft 68, a greater or lesser feed movement of the slide bars 85 and 86 is had according to the adjustment of the brackets 95.

The indexing wheel 100 is mounted on a shaft 97 that is supported in a bearing 98 carried by the frame member 57. Said wheel is preferably disposed at the right side of the machine for right-handed manipulation.

The means 32 is shown as comprising a shaft 130 that extends transversely through transversely spaced gear boxes 50 and 140 that are carried by the transverse plate 51. A belt drive 99 interconnects said wheel 100 and shaft 130, the ratio, in this case, being one to three--one revolution of the wheel turning the shaft three revolutions.

Said means 32 includes a shaft 70 that is driven, oneto-one, by shaft 130* through the gear box 50. A bearing block 80 mounts said shaft 70. A worm and worm wheel drive 90' operatively connects shaft 70 to drum shaft 78 to rotate the drum 110. The ratio of drive is one revolution of drum shaft 78 to ten revolutions of shaft 70. Thus, little more than one and one-half turns of the wheel 1.10, in either direction, will rotate shaft 70 five times in either direction and will turn shaft 78 a half-turn in either direction, making quickly available any one of the ninetynine digit types 81 for setting in imprinting position. Said means 32 further includes a shaft 150 that is driven, one-to-one, by shaft 130 through the gear box 140. A bearing 180 mounts shaft 150, and a worm and worm wheel drive 190 operatively connect shaft 150 with drum shaft 195 at the same ratio as drive 90. Thus, there is a simultaneous setting of a type 76 on drum 200 on shaft 195 and a type 81 on drum 110 and complete synchrony of such setting because the drive connections between shaft 130 and the two drums is positive. However, the belt drive 99 may slip in the event of jamming, thereby providing protection of the machine parts against damage.

The selection adjustment accomplished by manipulation of the wheel 100* is visually guided by a wheel 220 that has numbers 101 on its cylindrical face corresponding to the types 76 and 81 on the respective drums 200 and 110*. However, the numbers 101 are oriented relative to types 76 and 81 so that with the latter in imprinting position, the corresponding number 101 on wheel 220 is visible through a window 210 in the line of vision of the machine operator. Since Wheel 220 is carried by shaft 195, the same rotates with the shaft together with drum 200.

In order to retain the drum settings during imprinting and punching, the machine is provided with a disc 202 that has one hundred edge serrations or notches 102, as can be seen in FIG. 3, and with a spring-biased detent device 103 that engages said notches to hold the adjustment. The disc 202 is shown in FIG. 3, in association with drum 200 and its shaft 195. A similar disc 202 is shown in FIG. 1 in association with drum 110 and its shaft 78.

The operating handle means 33 comprises a handle 60 that is disposed on the right side of the machine closely adjacent to the adjusting wheel 100, a shaft 104 that rotates in bearings 105 on the support plate 44 and to which the handle is aflixed, an arm 61 fixed on said shaft to move with the handle 60 on the axis of shaft 104, an arm 62 fixedly connected to a shaft 120 in bearings 106 on the base plate 44, a link 61A connecting the free ends of the arms 61 and 62, a second arm 63 fixedly connected to shaft 120 and movable with the arm 62, a spring-biased drive dog or pawl 64 carried by the end of arm 63, and a segment member 65 rotationally mounted on shaft 120. Said latter member has a notch 107 that is normally engaged by the dog 64, as in FIG. 2. As a consequence, upon a forward pull on handle 60, so long as the dog remains in the segment notch 107, the segment 65 will be pivotally moved to the left. Said segment is provided with an extension 108 that, therefore, moves toward the left. Thus, the first part of the movement of the handle 60, from the position of FIG. 2 part way toward the position of FIG. 6 operates the means 34 to operate the punch means 28 to move the punch pins 111 and 112 to the position over the digits of the units and tens columns of digits on certificate C where the same will punch holes 29, as limited by the means 36.

Said means 34 comprises an arm 67 afiixed with and rotational on the axis of shaft 68, and a link 66 connecting the end of arm 67 with the segment extension 108. Since there is a similar interconnection between shafts 120 and 68 for the respective arms 69 and 113-, the mentioned initial movement of the handle 60 will rock the arms 69 and 113 and advance the punch slide bars and 86, the advance of each bar being limited by the means 36, according to the setting thereof.

Said means 34 includes a bypassing tripping pawl 137 on the end of an arm 52 that is mounted on bracket 49 to pivot at 138, and a shaft 5-3 that is provided with a pin 139 that is connected to the forward end of arm 52. When the dog 64 has been moved by the first part of the pull of handle 60 to bring the advance of the punch slides '85 and 86 as limited by the means 36, the end of arm 62 engages and trips the by-passing pawl, rocking the pawl against its biasing spring 141. The dog is released from notch 107 and moves on past the tilted pawl 137. In the process, the rear end of arm 52 is raised and the end connected to the pin 1-39 is depressed, causing the shaft 53 to be rocked. This rocking of shaft 53 causes a trip latch 55 to release a hammer 56, allowing biasing springs 142 to force hammer 56 into punch pin-projecting engagement, as in FIG. 7. Thus, a certificate is provided with the punched holes 29' during the latter part of movement of the handle 60.

The punch hammer 56 is raised when an arm 54 on the shaft 143, on which said hammer ispivoted, is engaged by a cam 144 on the handle shaft 104, as in FIG. 9.

The means 36 that is provided for limiting the advance movement of the punch slide bar 86 comprises a stub shaft 109 on one of the brackets 46, and a gear train, comprising gears 41, 42 and 43, that drives the shaft 109 on a one-to-one ratio with shaft 130. A stepped cam 35 that has a series of lands 114, that are successively farther from the axis of shaft 109, and has a snail appearance for that reason, comprises a variable abutment means for an extension 116 on the link 66. Since drum 110 is geared to shaft 130 so that one-tenth revolution of said drum results from one revolution of shaft 130, each one-tenth revolution of the shaft 130 is equal to a one-hundredth rotation of the drum. Therefore, each time the drum 110 is moved through the increment between the types 81 thereof the cam 35 will move onetenth of a rotation and, depending on the direction of the rotation will bring the next higher or the next lower land 114 into line to be engaged by the extension 116. It will be evident that any one of the nine digits and the zero provided in the units column of the certificate will be punched by the punch pin 112 in conformity with the setting of the drums 110 and 200, and it will also be evident that the cam 35 will have the same setting with the highest land 114 opposite the extension '116 when punching of the digit 1 is to be had, as when the certificate is to be identified by the numbers of shares 1, 1'1, 21, 31, etc. The next highest land 114 will allow additional setting movement of the punch bar 86, as when punching the digit 2 in a certificate identified for 2, 12, 22, 32, etc. shares.

The means 36 that is provided for limiting the advance movement of the punch slide bar 85 has a stub shaft 117 on the other bracket 46, a gear train comprising gears 121, 122, 123 and 124 that, because the gears 122 and 123 are on the same shaft and fixed together, with gears 1211 and 122 in mesh, and gears 123 and 124 in mesh,

provides a ratio of one revolution of shaft 117 for each ten revolutions of drive shaft 130. Thus, the stepped cam on shaft 117 has a one-to-one relationship with the drums 110 and 200 and each of its lands has a span that equals ten increments between the types 76 and 81. As a consequence, the tens column of the certificate will be punched at zero for all units punchings from 1 to 9; at 1 for all units punchings .that identify the amount of shares between 10 and 19; etc.

From the above it will be seen that the progression to higher digits in the units column is accomplished by an incremental shift of the cam 35 from one land 114 to the next land, and that the progression to higher digits in the tens column is accomplished by ten shifts of the cam 115 over one land before the next land is in position to control the setting of the tens punch 85.

The means 37 may best be seen in FIGS. 3 and 10. The shaft 120 carries an arm 125 on which is pivoted a spring-loaded finger 118, the latter carrying a springbiased stud 119 that has a roller 126 on the forward end thereof. FIG. 3 shows the normal position of this arm 125 during the unoperated position of the machine, the arm being upright with stud-mounted roller 126 at the upper end and directed forwardly. A print rocker arm 203 is carried on a pivot 136 on the brackets 53 so that its tail end is beneath the roller 126 and normally is elevated to be adjacent to said roller. The forward end of said arm 203 has a low position normally. Said forward end of the lever or arm 203 operates the means 38 which comprises a spring-biased pair of arms 128, and a printing platen 129 carried thereby. Rocking of the arm 125 to the position of FIG. 10 causes depressing of one end of arm 203 and movement of the platen 129 into a firm but resilient squeezing printing engagement. Such printing pressure by platen 129 may be applied to both drums 110 and 200 by independent means 38 because of the offset relationship of said drums. In other words, there are two separate means 37 and 38, one for drum 11.0 and one for drum 200, as suggested in FIG. 1.

With a certificate on plate 230 and pressed upwardly by the means 38 beneath and in register with each of the drums 110 and 200, the interposition of a printing ribbon 131 between each said drum and the certificate being imprinted will produce imprints 24 and 26. While FIGS. 3 and 10 show in detail the ribbon supply 132 and the operating and impression means 37 and 38 thereof that are operatively associated with the drum 200, the comparable ribbon supply and the operating and impression means for the drum 110 is not separately illustrated, but its position is indicated in FIG. 1 in alignment with drum 1 10 and just to the right of the transverse member 51. Except that this ribbon supply, operating and impression means is differently proportioned because of the horizontal offset of the drum 110 relative to drum 200', said supply and means are similar to the supply 132 and means 37 and 38 that are illustrated. Each means 38 feeds its ribbon 131, the supply of which comprises a spool 132. Said spool is fed by a ratchet wheel 133 thereon, driven by a pawl 134 on the end of a rock arm 135 on the pivot 136.

The means 37 and 38 may be varied according to typewriter or multigraph machine design, it being important only, in this case, that the imprinting of the certificates with imprints 24 and 26 takes place simultaneously with punching of the holes 29.

The handle 60 in this machine, after the imprinting and punching has occurred and the cam 144 has restored the punches to retracted position, is manually retracted, although the same may be made to be self-restoring. Rerotation of shafts 120 and 68 restores the machine to initial position ready for another certificate, after removal of the imprinted and punched certificate. Now, the hand wheel 100 may be turned in either direction to reset the machine for the next imprinting and punching operation.

While we have illustrated and described what we now contemplate to be the best mode of carrying out our invention, the construction is, of course, subject to modification without departing from the spirit and scope of our invention. Therefore, we do not wish to restrict ourselves to the particular form of construction illustrated and described, but desire toavail ourselves of all modifications that may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, what We claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A machine for imprinting a rectangular certificate with a number in word form and the same number in digit form and offset both longitudinally and transversely relative to the number in word form and for punching two holes in said certificate that have a relationship to each other and to the digits of a tens-units panel imprinted on the certificate and which is in conformance with said number, said machine comprising two separate printing drums, one with word-imprinting type and .the other with digitimprinting type, means to support a certificate to be imprinted and punched, punch means comprising two relatively movable punches to form the mentioned two holes in the certificate, independent means to adjust the drums to dispose them in olfset relation relative to each other and to the face of the certificate on the support, as desired, means including a manually settable wheel at one side of the machine to simultaneously, rotationally set the imprinting drums to print a predetermined number in both word and digit form on the certificate, means including an operating handle movable to press the certificate into printing contact with both drums simultaneously, punch operating means comprising interconnected means controlled by said handle during movement thereof to first move the punch means relative to the tens-units panel on the certificate and then to project the two punches of the punch means simultaneously with the certificate-pressing means to punch the certificate, and means controlled by said settable wheel to limit the hole-punching positions of the two punches of the punch means during a punching operation to conform said positions to the adjusted positions of the drums and said predetermined number.

2. A machine according to claim 1 that is provided with means interposed between the handle and the punch-operating means that includes means to disconnect the punch position-limiting means from the punch-operating means to allow the latter, under control of the handle, to operate thepunch means after the position-limiting means has stopped the movement of the punch means to punching position relative to the tens-units panel of the certificate.

3. A machine according to claim '1 that is provided with means to vary the length of travel of the punch means according to variations in the spacing of a plurality of punch positions on the certificate.

4. A machine for imprinting a rectangular certificate with a number in word form and the same number in digit form and offset both longitudinally and transversely relative to the number in word form and for punching two holes in said certificate that have a relationship to each other and to the digits of a tens-units panel imprinted on the certificate and which is in conformance with said number, said machine comprising two separate printing drums, one with word-imprinting type and the other with digit-imprinting type, means to support a certificate to be imprinted and punched, punch means comprising two relatively movable punches to form the mentioned two *holes in the certificate, independent means to adjust the drums to dispose them in offset relation relative to each other and to the face of the certificate on the support, as desired, means including a manually settable wheel at one side of the machine to simultaneously, rotationally set the imprinting drums to print a predetermined number in both word and digit form on the certificate, means including an operating handle movable to press the certificate into printing contact with both drums simultaneously, interconnected means controlled by said handle during movement thereof to move the punch means relative to the tens-units panel on the certificate and to project the two punches of the punch means simultaneously with the certificate-pressing means to punch the certificate, means controlled by said settable wheel to limit the hole-punching positions of the two punches of the punch means during a punching operation to conform said positions to the adjusted positions of the drums and said predetermined number, and means controlled by the handle during the final operative movement thereof to retract the punches of the punch means after punching to thereby release the certificate for manual removal 'from its support.

5. A machine according to claim 4 provided with means to return the handle to initial position, and means controlled by the handle, upon return to said position, to restore the certificate-pressing means and the punch means to initial position.

6. A machine according to claim 5 in which the means to :set the drums and the punch means limiting means are freely settable by the manual Wheel in both directions, selectively.

7. A machine according to claim 5 in which the means to set the drums and the punch means limiting means are freely settable by the manual wheel in both directions, selectively, and a visual number-provided index Wheel is connected to move with one of the mentioned drums during setting of the latter.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,13 1,9 59 Robbins Mar. 16, 1915 1,357,090 Hasbrouok Oct. 26, 1920 1,602,874 Baillie Oct. 12, 1926 2,002,437 Maul May 21, 1935 2,050,745 Woodruff Aug. 11, 1936 2,070,763 Ward Feb. 16, 1937 2,189,027 Fuller Feb. 6, 1940 2,195,844 Von Pein Apr. 2, 1940 2,708,873 Braun May 24, 1955 2,754,751 Marsh et a1 July 17, 1956 2,803,187 Hart Aug. 20, 2,909,221 Hopp Oct. 20, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 701,648 Germany Jan. 22, 1941 

1. A MACHINE FOR IMPRINTING A RECTANGULAR CERTIFICATE WITH A NUMBER IN WORD FORM AND THE SAME NUMBER IN DIGIT FORM AND OFFSET BOTH LONGITUDINALLY AND TRANSVERSELY RELATIVE TO THE NUMBER IN WORD FORM AND FOR PUNCHING TWO HOLES IN SAID CERTIFICATE THAT HAVE A RELATIONSHIP TO EACH OTHER AND TO THE DIGITS OF A TENS-UNITS PANEL IMPRINTED ON THE CERTIFICATE AND WHICH IS IN CONFORMANCE WITH SAID NUMBER, SAID MACHINE COMPRISING TWO SEPARATE PRINTING DRUMS, ONE WITH WORD-IMPRINTING TYPE AND THE OTHER WITH DIGITIMPRINTING TYPE, MEANS TO SUPPORT A CERTIFICATE TO BE IMPRINTED AND PUNCHED, PUNCH MEANS COMPRISING TWO RELATIVELY MOVABLE PUNCHES TO FORM THE MENTIONED TWO HOLES IN THE CERTIFICATE, INDEPENDENT MEANS TO ADJUST THE DRUMS TO DISPOSE THEM IN OFFSET RELATION RELATIVE TO EACH OTHER AND TO THE FACE OF THE CERTIFICATE ON THE SUPPORT, AS DESIRED, MEANS INCLUDING A MANUALLY SETTABLE WHEEL AT ONE SIDE OF THE MACHINE TO SIMULTANEOUSLY, ROTATIONALLY SET THE IMPRINTING DRUMS TO PRINT A PREDETERMINED NUMBER IN BOTH WORD AND DIGIT FORM ON THE CERTIFICATE, MEANS INCLUDING AN OPERATING HANDLE MOVABLE TO PRESS THE CERTIFICATE INTO PRINTING CONTACT WITH BOTH DRUMS SIMULTANEOUSLY, PUNCH OPERATING MEANS COMPRISING INTERCONNECTED MEANS CONTROLLED BY SAID HANDLE DURING MOVEMENT THEREOF TO FIRST MOVE THE PUNCH MEANS RELATIVE TO THE TENS-UNITS PANEL ON THE CERTIFICATE AND THEN TO PROJECT THE TWO PUNCHES OF THE PUNCH MEANS SIMULTANEOUSLY WITH THE CERTIFICATE-PRESSING MEANS TO PUNCH THE CERTIFICATE, AND MEANS CONTROLLED BY SAID SETTABLE WHEEL TO LIMIT THE HOLE-PUNCHING POSITIONS OF THE TWO PUNCHES OF THE PUNCH MEANS DURING A PUNCHING OPERATION TO CONFORM SAID POSITIONS TO THE ADJUSTED POSITIONS OF THE DRUMS AND SAID PREDETERMINED NUMBER. 